


The Outing of Spencer Reid

by KliqzAngel



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Criminal Minds season 1 or 2 timeframe, M/M, Minor Angst, Minor Homophibia, Minor Self Hate, being outted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-20 00:28:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5986186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KliqzAngel/pseuds/KliqzAngel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Derek seeks out Garcia for advice on Spencer, he finds himself traveling down the least expected path.  Will he come to terms with his feelings or will life stand in the way?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For the ChocFic Challenge. My prompt was Criminal Minds, Morgan/Reid or Morgan&Reid: concern & comfort - Morgan is worried about Reid and seeks advice from a team member. "Inanimate objects can be classified scientifically into three major categories; those that don't work, those that break down and those that get lost." - Russell Baker

** Chapter 1 **

**_"Inanimate objects can be classified scientifically into three major categories;_ **

**_Those that don't work,_ **

Derek walked into Garcia’s office and perched on the edge of her desk trying to avoid monitors and the other usual clutter. When she turned and granted him one of her brilliant smiles, Derek attempted to flash one back but his mind was weighed down with thoughts of the man out in the other room. Unsure and confused, he found himself fidgeting as he felt her watching him, while he tried to find the words to express why he’d come in there.

“Pen, do you think Reid has been different lately?” He finally asked, looking at his hands folded loosely in his lap and then the floor beneath them. “I mean, all things considered, Reid is always ‘different’, but lately do you think he’s been…” Derek shrugged and Garcia arched an eyebrow pausing to wonder what he really wanted before answering. 

“Yes, actually I do,” Garcia finally responded turning her full attention to the man perched on her desk like a first grader who knew he was getting punished, but wasn’t sure if you knew what he’d done yet. “I’m not sure about the lately part, but yes Spencer is acting ‘different’ as you call it. He has been for awhile. Sometimes I think you people aren’t all that observant.”

“You people?” Derek echoed arching an eyebrow at her and unconcerned Garcia shrugged before explaining. “Yes Derek, you people, as in you profiler types. You’re always so intent on studying every tiny detail of someone that I think you miss the big things. And you, my Sweetness, have been missing quite a bit when it comes to our dear Dr. Spencer Reid.”

“Like what?” Derek asked concerned, leaning forward slightly as he momentarily disregarded the slight to his observational skills. “Is the kid ok?”

Garcia snorted, shaking her head, making Derek wonder what he’d said that was amusing. “First off, Derek, Spencer isn’t a kid. I realize everyone thinks that and, compared to the rest of you age wise, I suppose he is, but in all the important ways he’s not really and never has been. Secondly, anything I know would be privileged information between friends and I am not about to spill the beans. I can say though that he’s been working harder than normal lately. His work hours have been longer than he’d usually put in, which for Spencer is a scary thought.”

Derek sat back, nodding. He’d noticed that Spencer seemed to be burning the midnight oil harder than he usually did and decided maybe that was all there was to it. “That’s probably just it. He just needs to relax, get out and have some fun. Too bad girls scare him. Do you think Reid is asexual?”

Having been in the process of taking a sip of her drink, Garcia quickly choked and coughed at the thought before turning an astonished gaze upon Derek. She’d known he didn’t pay much attention to Reid, but she’d thought he was smarter than that. “Are you really that blind?!” She shrieked gaping at him and Derek found himself rushing to explain his theory sure that it made sense.

“It makes sense Pen. I mean he’s scared of girls. Sure he kissed that Lila Archer, but really she kissed him first so I’m not sure that counts. Gideon tried to set him up with JJ and from what I hear that was and I quote ‘the oddest date I’ve ever been on’. He’s never shown any kind of sexual interest in anyone really so. It makes sense.”

“Derek, he’s not asexual!” She repeated indignantly growing angry at the other man who was obviously blinder than a bat and she was seriously beginning to wonder how he’d managed to fool everyone to the contrary. 

“Well then how do you explain it?” Derek insisted scowling at the gaping woman in front of him, who upon hearing his question began, flapping her arms around as if she was going to take flight.

“DEREK, HE’S GAY!” She blurted. It was a toss-up as to which of them was more stunned. Before he could ask another question, she was up and tugging him off the desk and pushing him out the door.

“Pen, what are you talking about?” He finally asked trying to turn as she was shoving him through the doorway.

“No, no, no! I’ve said too much already, Derek. I’m not going to fall prey to those eyes of seduction any more. Out!” She insisted pushing him and trying to shut the door at the same time.

When he was given the choice of leaving or having his hands slammed between the door and the doorframe, Derek left to process what he’d heard wondering if he could have been hallucinating. 

~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~  
**_Those that break down_**

Spencer had spent a fairly boring and all together uneventful day at his desk trying to finish up his paperwork. They were between cases as J.J. Tried to decide where they needed to be next and the team was enjoying a moment to breathe between cases. It seemed to Spencer though that Derek wasn’t having quite as a productive a day. 

Every time he looked up the other man seemed to be watching him, and when he wasn’t doing that he was staring back at the hallway that led to Garcia’s office, a fact that was making Spencer quite anxious. Logically he knew that there could be any number of reasons why Derek seemed to be preoccupied with something that involved both him and Garcia. Being the genius he was though Spencer reasoned that there was really only one thing that could be distracting his co-worker so badly. Just the notion of the idea that was forming in his head made his stomach quiver with nausea. 

He’d tried ignoring it. Using his powers of concentration to forget about the terrifying possibility and loose himself in the mounds of paperwork in front of him. But for once, Spencer’s powers seemed to be slipping because as the faint sheen of sweat began covering his forehead, as his hands began to shake, as his vision began to haze as his mind began to wander, all he could think about were the terrifying possibilities of Derek finding out The Secret. He wondered not for the first time what he’d do, where he’d go if the revelation of said secret forced him to leave the first real family he’d ever had.

Deciding that ignoring the situation wasn't getting him anywhere, and too terrified to ask Derek himself, Spencer decided to try the next best thing. Getting up he steadfastly ignored the gaze he felt upon him and made his way carefully back to Garcia’s office. 

Reaching the door once again open, Spencer didn’t bother knocking, but instead walked in shutting the door behind him drawing Garcia’s attention. Seeing her looking away quickly, Spencer felt his stomach begin to descend downward somewhere towards his intestines as he leaned against the hard metal surface for support. “Garcia do you know why Derek has been staring at me all day?” Spencer asked wanting to be fair and still holding tightly onto his delusion that there could be another possible reason for why the older man was suddenly so interested in him. 

“I didn’t mean it, Spence,” she finally said softly and meekly. Closing his eyes as his head rested against the door, Spencer tried to stop his body from trembling as his nightmare slowly became reality.

“So he knows?” Spencer asked needing clarification before he jumped off the cliff looming in front of him.

“No Spencer, not the big part! Only that your gay.” Garcia rushed to offer hoping that it would in some way make things not so bad and Spencer had to admit it could be worse. 

“So he doesn’t know,” Spencer again asked trailing off before he completed the thought. He was unable to actually speak the words that would reveal his whole secret but starving for the clarification nonetheless unwilling at this point to relax even a little until he knew it was absolutely safe. 

“No, Spence, I wouldn’t ever do that! And it was a mistake I swear. He was in here with those eyes, turning those super powers on me and I was helpless. He just made me so mad! And I had to defend you and before I knew it…”

“Wait,” Spencer interrupted frowning, his eyes opening as he studied her knowing something important was just missed. “What do you mean you had to defend me?”

“He thought you were asexual, Reid!” She shrieked making Spencer wince as he ran a hand over his face and up into his hair. “I mean honest to God he’d convinced himself that you were asexual because you didn’t impress J.J. on that date you two had.”

“We’re just FRIENDS Garcia!” Reid shouted lifting his head only to let it drop back against the door with a loud satisfying thump. The pain caused by the action served to momentarily distract him from the quagmire he was quickly sinking into. 

“I know, Reid, I know,” Garcia soothed watching him wide eyed with anxiety. “It’s silly, but he was sure and I couldn’t just let him… I mean it’s stupid and… Spencer he obviously doesn’t pay much attention… I mean… you know I had to do it right?”

Nodding Spencer pulled away from the door opening it up, but pausing in the middle of the doorway. “It’s ok Garcia. I know you didn’t mean it. Just don’t tell him the rest ok? He’d never forgive me if he found out the whole truth as abysmal and hopeless as it is. I mean only a fool would fall in love with someone in the BAU right? And a straight man on top of it?” Shaking his head Spencer walked away as Garcia turned back to her computer with a heavy sigh wondering how she could make it better.

With her eyes turned to her computers Garcia didn’t see the figure sneak away from one of the nearby doorways. Thus she and Spencer both were left unaware that their conversation had been overheard.

 

~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~~**~~~~~~~~~~

**_and those that get lost." - Russell Baker_ **

Derek knew it was wrong eavesdropping on his friends like this, but he needed answers. He hoped in vain that what Garcia had said earlier had been only a distorted fact taken way out of context. He reasoned that she had hurried him out before saying anything else, so it was possible that what she’s said was what she hadn’t meant. 

_“So he knows?”_ He heard Spencer ask and knew they were talking about him. 

_“No Spencer, not the big part! Only that your gay._ ” Derek’s eyes widened at the statement. “Jesus,” he thought to himself, “there’s more?” 

_“So he doesn’t know.”_ Derek wondered at how relieved Spencer sounded and was shocked at how hurt he was at the thought that there was something Reid didn’t want him to know. He knew they weren’t best buddies, but he’d thought that they were at least friends and had begun to think of the younger man like a little brother. Or at least that’s the definition he’d stubbornly assigned to his feelings.

_“He thought you were a-sexual Reid!”_ He heard Garcia shriek and winced at the theory wishing she hadn’t told Reid, but figured it was only fair. He knew though that the other man wouldn’t take it well. And really, how well could anyone take something like that.

_“We’re just FRIENDS Garcia!”_ He heard Reid shriek indignantly himself and momentarily wondered if he wasn’t spending too much time with the girls. Looking back on things with the new facts, he could see the errors in his reasoning though. He’d wrongly interpreted Reid’s sexual indifference to women making a leap in judgment that he knew he’d been better trained against.  
_“It’s ok Garcia. I know you didn’t mean it. Just don’t tell him the rest ok? He’d never forgive me if he found out the whole truth as abysmal and hopeless as it is. I mean only a fool would fall in love with someone in the BAU right? And a straight man on top of it?”_ Derek flattened himself against the wall inside the room he was hiding in hoping Reid didn’t notice him as his mind spun.

“Reid was in love with one of them?” He thought somewhat dazedly. Straightening from the wall, Derek looked out into the hallway and snuck away thankfully avoiding detection. Seeing that it was late enough that he could leave, Derek quickly grabbed his things and rushed out relieved when he didn’t run into Spencer on his way out.  


	2. Chapter 2

** Chapter Two **

_"An educated person is one who has learned that information almost always turns out to be at best incomplete and very often false, misleading, fictitious, mendacious - just dead wrong. " - Russell Baker_

Walking into his home, Derek threw his keys into the dish by the front door, and headed to the kitchen taking a beer out of the fridge, before making his way into the living room. Sinking down into his worn leather couch, Derek tried to run the problem through his head as he was trained to looking for all the clues. Quickly he reasoned away Hotch, not willing to believe that Reid was the kind of guy that would go after a married man. That was just too far off from the man he knew to think he’d do such a thing. 

Gideon wasn’t into guys that Derek knew for sure, but then Spencer had said that it was a straight man. Of course he didn’t know any of them were so he supposed that wasn’t a good tool, but for some reason that was sticking in his mind so he let it stay. Not to mention Spencer and Gideon had a mentor/pupil thing going on, which did occasionally cause for feelings to develop on the pupil side that were outside of the normal bounds. Then there was the fact that Gideon was closer to being like Spencer than any of the rest of them so he couldn’t picture Reid being into him that way. Coming back to the mentor thing Derek knew that Gideon was one of the people Spencer trusted the most. Derek didn’t think that Reid would ever convert that into something sexual. That also was too far off character for their little genius. Not to mention, Gideon was old and that was just… Derek shuddered at the thought.

No, he supposed, if Reid was gonna go after someone, it would be someone closer to his own age. Reid would want someone attractive who knew how to have fun. He’d probably want someone who could drag him out of his shell a little, but, at the same time, it would have to be someone who could be sensitive to Reid’s family issues and willing to deal if it ever happened to Reid himself. Reid would want someone who was in it for the long haul. He wouldn’t be a date for the moment kind of guy.

Frowning around his bottle of beer, Derek realized that the only person left on the team who fit was himself. Carefully setting the beer down, Derek scowled and shook his head. Surely he must be wrong. He’d never been with a guy despite the secret longings he’d had from time to time. So, Reid had no reason to believe that he had or would want to be, which again remembering Reid’s words fit into the straight man comment. Quickly though the words flitted back out of his mind as panic and agitation started to set in. 

Getting up Derek paced restlessly back and forth across the rug, hands curled into tight fists and jaw clenched. His pulse was racing and his breathing was erratic, he couldn’t get his mind to slow down from the through that Reid wanted him. He knew his past, hell he knew his mother. 

How could he do this to him? How could he…?

“Hello?” Derek blinked down at his phone not remembering dialing it. “Derek? Are you there? Is something wrong? Are you hurt?”

“How could you?” Derek asked, while at the same time wondering what he was doing. He felt as if he were outside of his body watching someone else controlling it. Watching someone else pull his strings and speak his words. 

“Derek, what?” Reid stammered obviously confused but all Derek felt was panic and rage. “REID HOW COULD YOU?”

“What makes you think I’m into guys? What makes you think…” All of a sudden Derek came back to himself and shut his phone ending the call. “Oh God.”

Rubbing a hand over his face Derek paced out of the room and into the back yard rubbing the back of his neck. Taking deep breaths, Derek tried to calm himself down so that he could think rationally again. Closing his eyes he cleared his mind and listened to the sounds around him. The dog barking somewhere behind him, the neighbor boy giggling playing in the pool, his mind brought up a picture. That smile Reid gave when he was truly happy, that moment in time when you could tell he felt a part of the team. That wide grin and those sparkling eyes, that impish look on his face, the way his words practically glowed. 

He thought back to his reasoning as to who Reid would be looking for and realized that they weren’t Reid’s reasons, they were his reasons. They were the things he wanted Reid to be looking for because if he was honest with himself he wanted Reid to be looking for him. Reid believed he was straight. He’d said so himself. He had no idea that Derek returned his feelings or that he even hovered within the boundaries of the same sexual plane as Spencer did. Derek though wanted him to. He’d been so upset because he’d wanted him to work out the facts so that he didn’t ever had to say the words out loud himself. 

He knew right now Spencer would be reworking his thoughts, restudying his data wondering if he’d miscalculated. Probably coming up with all the wrong ideas, or maybe not and coming close even if it wasn’t close enough. In the meantime he’d be panicking upset and alone, worried about a million different things most of which would never occur to the rest of them. Sometimes Derek wondered if a bigger brain didn’t mean more worrying and paranoia.

What he probably wouldn’t work, Derek figured, out was that it wasn’t a one way street. Derek let his head tilt back as his world began to slow. Knowing Reid he knew while he’d work through the fact that he might be into guys, there was no way that he would believe he stood a chance. When in fact he was one of the few who did stand a chance, Reid had gotten under his skin the way no one else had ever done. 

Derek was drawn to his awkwardness, to his intelligence, to his quiet empathy. Reid, with all his geekiness, had managed what most seemed the impossible.

And Derek had just accused him sounding like some in the closet, self-hating, homophobe.

“What the hell have I done?”

Derek’s cell rang and looking down he groaned. This was just not the time.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK... I think Garcia is slightly out of character here. Someone had to move things along though, and I wrote this years ago so... It is what it is.

** Chapter Three **

_Usually, terrible things that are done with the excuse that progress requires them are not really progress at all, but just terrible things." - Russell Baker_

"

Garcia’s hands twisted in front of her as she entered Hotch’s office. She didn’t like doing this, but she didn’t have any choice.

“Hotch, I need to talk to you,” Garcia started and he nodded holding up a finger. Garcia though was staring at her fidgeting hands and wasn’t paying attention.

“I hate to come to you with this, but I don’t think I have a choice.”

Aaron looked up at her sighing. “Garcia…” he started trying to interrupt, but clearly she wasn’t paying attention.

“I can’t let Morgan treat Reid like this. It isn’t right. I’m not gonna let Morgan bully him.”

“Garcia,” Aaron tried again sitting up straighter and looking at the phone, but again she ignored him.

“It isn’t Reid’s fault he’s gay!”

“GARCIA!” She finally heard and her head lifted and wide eyed she looked at the phone. “GARCIA, SHUT THE HELL UP!” That was Morgan. The indignant shriek had been Reid. The glare of fury coming from Hotch was clear. Open mouthed she tried to come up with something, but there was no valid reasoning she could give.

“Aaron, I’ll handle things on this end,” came Gideon’s calm assurances. 

Hotch however was anything but calm. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Hotch seethed. “We’re on a case Garcia! I was on a conference call with the team and the local officials! You’ve just outed Reid in front of everyone. Not to mention you’ve implicated Morgan as being unprofessional. What the hell were you thinking?”

Garcia’s lip trembles as she flails trying to come up with an explanation. “I just… I wanted… Reid was upset! He called me. He… Reid was upset!”

“Garcia you’ve tied my hands. I have to formally investigate this now. I may have to put a mark on Morgan’s record. Garcia what were you thinking!”

Garcia opened her mouth again to try and justify her actions, but all she could thing was that she’d done it again. Turning she ran out seeking the shelter of her office’s safe haven.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am pretending the fraternization rules don't exist... ok? Good.


	4. Chapter 4

** Chapter Four **

****

_"Happiness is a small and unworthy goal for something as big and fancy as a whole lifetime, and should be taken in small doses." - Russell Baker_

Morgan laid on his bed in his hotel room staring up at the ceiling. He was trying to come up with answers to questions he wasn’t sure he even knew yet. If it was almost completely silent, the air conditioner making the only sound, he wouldn’t have heard the quiet knock on his door.

Getting up he made his way to the door frowning when he saw Reid through the peep hole. He was the last person Derek expected to show up at his door. “Derek, please open up.” Reid called from the other side of the door. “I just… please. Derek, please?”

Derek heard the tremor in Spencer’s voice and opened the door quickly his heart clenching at the sight of the man on the other side. “I just wanted to help.” He finally said as he stepped aside letting Reid in. 

He watched Reid walk in stopping in the center where he turned to study his friend. “I just don’t want you to hate me.” Spencer responded in an almost whisper. 

“Spencer, Jesus,” Derek moved to the bed sinking down on the end. “I don’t hate you. I don’t even think I could. You… hell Spencer sometimes you intimidate me.”

Spencer gaped at him. “You… you’re… What? Derek are you high?”

Derek snorted softly smiling at the obviously dumbfounded man. “You’re big brain. People look at you and dismiss you almost immediately, but you don’t care. You out think them and use their arrogance and their dismissal against them. You have all this knowledge stored up there, and I got… what? You remember that unsub in that kidnapping for the US District attorney’s daughter? He said I was a token trumped up piece of beef.”

Spencer frowns remembering the case. “Derek that guy was a psychopath! He was obsessed with those girls. You helped us with figuring him out! You’ve helped a lot of other people after that. What about that… lady with the bomb under her seat in her car? And you refused to leave? I’m not intimidating to anyone. You could like… kill me in my sleep and I probably wouldn’t notice.”

Derek’s lips twitched as he studied Spencer as the other man continued. “Girls fall at your feet, and the guys are as bad! I know most people don’t notice because it’s not as obvious. I could walk into a room naked and the only people who would notice would be the ones that run out screaming for their lives!”

“I wouldn’t,” Derek spoke finally studying the carpet. “Maybe you aren’t the only one with a crush.”

Spencer blinked stunned into silence. “You… I… Derek you don’t like guys!”

Derek snorted and smiled shaking his head then quirked an eyebrow looking up at the smaller man. “Really, Reid? That’s good to know, ‘Cause all this time I been thinkin’ I’m bi.”

“But,” Reid sputtered and Derek crossed his arms watching him affectionately. Maybe it was twisted, but he loved this side of him this part where his reasoning and logic didn’t match up with reality and he flailed around like a fish out of water looking for where he missed the boat. He could almost sit back and watch Reid’s brain working. “You’re Bi?”

Slowly Derek nodded smiling still, watching the man with affection still. Somehow in the last couple moments all the answers to all the questions he didn’t know either came to him or were discarded as irrelevant in his mind leaving an unusual sense of peace behind. What did why’s and how’s matter when he had the proof in front of him? “I’m bi. Spencer. I’ve never had the courage to be with a man before though. Guess I’ve always let what happened come between me and my curiosity up until now.”

Frowning Spencer studied the carpet a small frown still on his face. “I suppose it doesn’t hurt that I’m like the least imposing person in the universe.”

Shaking his head Derek wondered how long it’d take him to work on this view Reid had of himself so that it was brought to be at least close to the reality of the man. “No Reid, what doesn’t hurt is that you’re my friend, and I trust you. I know you would never take advantage of me. I know you understand my life. I know I can trust you with my family, and my secrets. What doesn’t hurt is that I know you wouldn’t push me or rush me, that you’d let things happen on my time frame. I know that somehow you’d understand when logically you just shouldn’t be able to.” 

Derek shrugged watching his friend. “I trust you Reid. And, if you can get past all this that’s happened in the last couple days I’d… well, I think I’d like a chance to see what could come of this.”

Nervously Derek watched Spencer’s face and didn’t relax until he saw the anxiety melt into a shy smile as the other man nodded. “I’d like that, Derek. And just so you know we’ll have all the time in the world. I mean I’ve had… a few relationships, but not a ton so…” Spencer shrugs radiating happiness. “I don’t mind waiting on you, Derek. I never thought I could get a chance like this, so I figure that it’s worth making sure it’s done right.”

Sighing relieved Derek nodded and stood moving to Reid’s side where he carefully pulled the other man into his arms. It felt good, better than anything before, having Reid there in his arms. He felt like for the first time he wasn’t hiding behind something, like was finally out in the open for someone to see. He knew it should scare him and maybe later it would. But for now it was just nice not to have to hide in the dark anymore.


	5. Chapter 5

** Epilogue **

 

**__**

In an age when the fashion is to be in love with yourself, confessing to be in love with somebody else is an admission of unfaithfulness to one's beloved. - Russell Baker

Pausing in front of Hotch’s office, Reid took a deep breath looking back at Derek who looked somewhat less than his normal calm himself. Strangely for Spencer his new lover (partner, boyfriend, not-even-in-the-ballpark-of-being-unrequited-love-interest or whatever he was supposed to be calling whatever Derek now was to him) being nervous too was soothing. Slipping his fingers daringly into Derek’s, Spencer opened the door glad for the emptiness of the office given the lateness of the day.

“Hotch, can we talk to you?” Derek asked stepping around Reid and slipping inside pulling Reid with him. Smiling Reid took further comfort in the way his warrior pushed aside his unease and stepped up taking charge letting Reid stand safely within the shadows of his courage. 

When Aaron waved them over with only a slight lift of an eyebrow at their hands still clasped together. When his boss’ eyes met his, Spencer lifted his chin slightly unwilling to feel ashamed knowing Hotch was one of the few people in the building they’d be able to be out and open around. “I guess I don’t have to ask if you two have worked things out,” Hotch said dryly his lips twitching with amusement. “What’s up?”

Pulling Reid over to the chairs Derek waited for Spencer to sit before taking a seat himself, something else that warmed Spencer’s heart. He knew he should be worried about the way Derek tended to act like he was a girl. The truth of the matter was, he wasn’t upset about it at all, and didn’t see a reason to pretend he was. It was frankly nice to be given little courtesies like having doors opened, and Derek waiting to sit until he did. It told Spencer he was serious about this relationship, and gave him the strength he needed to be courageous in his own way.

“I wanted to tell you that the whole thing with me and Derek was a huge misunderstanding all around, and ask if there was any way you could not make this a formal thing? I don’t want Derek’s record to be blemished when we’ve umm… worked things out between ourselves.”

Aaron sat back in his chair studying the two. “Well I can’t not investigate, but I would say it’s pretty obvious there was a misunderstanding somewhere. You two have clearly come to an understanding.” Aaron didn’t even try to withhold his grin. “Reid, if you say that the claims Garcia brought forward are unsubstantiated then I am happy to call that the investigation and report there is nothing to the allegations.”

Shaking his head fast, Reid leaned forward anxiously. “Completely unsubstantiated, the whole thing was just one big confusion. Garcia thought she was doing what was right, she just… got a little excited. Derek and I hadn’t actually talked yet and…”

Derek sighed nodding. “I said some things that were way out of line, while I was panicking. Spencer rightly took it hard at first, but once we talked we realized that, well, we realized that what we were saying and what we thought and felt weren’t the same. Once we both got things out in the open we realized that we both had the same wants and desires.”

“So are you officially telling me you’re a couple?” Aaron asked stiffening slightly with worry, but relaxed as they both shook their heads.

“No, not officially,” Derek corrected quickly. “Eventually yeah, but I’m not ready yet to tell everyone just yet. We just, well we decided that you should know sorta unofficially just in case you know?”

Nodding carefully, Aaron smiled as the two stood. “Well then unofficially I will tell you both I am happy things worked out. I trust you two to not let this effect your work. I hope too that you’re going to speak with Garcia. She’s, well she’ll work better if she knows she is forgiven. She is forgiven I hope?”

Derek looked to Reid letting him answer knowing he had been hurt the worst by what Garcia’d done. “She’s forgiven,” Reid confirmed squeezing Derek’s hand. “We’re gonna talk to her tomorrow and make sure she knows. I’d do it tonight, but I think we both just need some quiet time alone together before we face anyone else.”

Nodding Aaron watched the couple stand. “I think that’s a good idea. Go home, preferably together and relax. Forget about the rest of us for awhile.” As the two turned and left, Aaron sighed relieved and taking Derek’s file out from the stack on his desk happy to be able to put it back where it belonged in his drawer unblemished. Leaning back in his chair he watched the two walking through the office hand in hand again, Spencer laughing at something Derek was saying. Both of their faces light with happiness. Feeling a pang, he decided that there wasn’t anything else urgent that he needed to do. Missing Haley, he quickly turned things off left, deciding to get her favorite sick food on the way home. The flu she had kept him from the last mission, but he didn’t mind. Suddenly all he cared about was telling her he loved her.

Later after a quiet dinner, Derek led Spencer into his house, chuckling when the other man squealed surprised as Derek pulled him into his arms unexpectedly. Pulling him close, Derek relaxed as Spencer leaned against him resting their cheeks together and let his eyes slip close. Two days before he’d been sure Spencer was some odd a-sexual creature that was miserable and lonely. Now he was here, happy in his arms and his home, well on his way to becoming the man Derek loved. 

Never in his life had Derek been so happy to be wrong, even though with Spencer’s new role in his life, he knew it wouldn’t be the last time.

 

The End!

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of several older fics that I have decided to post to AO3. They've resided for years to my personal archive, but I am thinking of getting rid of it. I want to make sure some of them are posted here. So, if you think you read this or some others I am posting over the next few days somewhere before... you probably have. They were also posted on LiveJournal.


End file.
